Machine for pointing fence-pickets



(No Model.)

0. B. RICE. MACHINE FOE POINTING FENCE PIUKEIS.

Patented June 11, 1889.v

. 7v & d I 17%? 3 v k & I I fl M w 0 WOOQO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CHARLES BEAVER RICE, OF NEW MARKET, VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR POINTING FENCE-PICKETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,181, dated June 11, 1889.

Application filed January 8, 1889. Serial No. 295,743. (No model.)

consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved machine, showing it in its operative position. Fig. 2

is a side view with a partbroken away. Fig.

3 is a detail perspective view of the knife. Fig. 4 is a. detail view of the upper end of the moving guide.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the table supported upon legs B, and having a standard 0 erected at one end. Adjacent to the foot of the standard Othe upper side of the table is provided with the recesses D, the lower sides or bases of which are beveled downwardly and outwardly, and the front sides of which are arranged at an incline, so that they come together and form a V-shaped ed e.

To the upper side of the table I secure the gage E, against which the pickets are placed while being operated upon, and to the under side of this table, at or near the edge of the same, I pivotally secure the supporting-arms F, which are adapted to be turned outward, as shown in Fig. 1, to support the finished pickets, or can be turned inward under the table when the machine is not used, so as to be out of the way, as shown in Fig. 2.

The upper end of the standard 0 is bifurcated and the operating-cam is mounted in the said bifurcation. This cam may be formed on the end of a hand-lever, as shown in the drawings; or, if so desired, it maybe mounted on a shaft journaled in the upper end of the standard and extended to one side and geared to an engine or other suitable motor.

In the front side of the standard, below the bifurcation therein, I form the vertical longitudinal recess G, and in this recess I secure a cylindrical rod or pin H, around which is coiled a spiral spring I, the end of the said spring bearing against the lower side of the recess and against a lug J, projecting from the rear side of the plunger K and encircling the pinor rod H. The plunger K has a knife L secured to its lower end, and is held in its proper position by a guide-block M, which is secured to the front side of the standard and has a vertical longitudinal groove in its rear side, within which the plunger and knife move.

The knife I L is preferably V-shaped in cross-section, and is provided 011 its rear side,

near the lower end of its edge, with a'lip or' spur M, which is adapted to engage a notch O in the upper end of a moving guide or stop P, against which the end of the picket is placed, and which passes downward through the table, and has its lower end reduced and bent to form a leaf-spring Q, the extremity of which is secured to the under side of the table, as shown.

In practice the picket to be pointed is placed on the table and against the gage E, so that its end will be brought under the knife in such a position that the knife will out equally on both sides, and the end of the picket is placed against the moving guide or stop P, so that the pickets will all be cut to the same length. The knife is then brought down on the end of the picket, cutting two sides of the same and giving the end of the picket the desired V shape. If it is desired to cut away the four sides of the picket, so that its end will have a pyramidal shape, the picket is then turned over so that the uncut sides will be under the knife and the knife again brought down so as to point the picket. The picket is then placed on the arms F, upon which they are allowed to rest until a quantity has been cut, as will be readily understood. The pieces cut from the pickets will fall to either side of the table through the recesses D.

The springs I and Q'serv-e to return the moving guide or stop and the knife to their elevated position after the pressure exerted on the plunger by the cam has been relieved.

My device is very simple, and is composed of few parts, which are not exposed and liable to be broken, so that the device is very dnrable. It will be observed that the knife is V- shaped, so that both sides of the picket will be cut at once while holding the picket in a horizontal position, thus obviating the necessity of holding the picket at an angle while it is acted upon by a straight knife.

The moving guide or stop prevents the end of the picket being pushed too far toward the standard, and thus insures the proper cutting of the point. The lower end of the knife being engaged by the upper end of the moving guide or stop, and the said guide or stop moving through a vertical opening in the table, the knife is caused to move in a true vertical plane, so as to be brought squarely against the picket and cut the same evenly and smoothly. The said moving guide or stop also aids the coiled spring to return the knife to its raised position.

Vhile I have shown and described the knife as V-shaped, it may be U-shaped, or in any shape desired.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination, with the reciprocating knife, of the vertically disposed movable guide arranged below the knife and having its upper end adapted to engage the lower end of the knife, the said guide being pressed upward by a spring, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the table and the standard, of the reciprocating knife supported by the standard and having the lip or spur 011 its rear side at its lower end, the moving guide or stop provided at its upper end with a notch adapted to engage said lip or spur, and mechanism for reciprocating the knife, as set forth.

The combination of the table provided in its upper side with the recesses having flared bases, the standard rising from the table adjacent to said recesses, the reciprocating knife supported by the standard, mechanism for reciprocating the knife, and the guide or stop moving through the table, having its upper end engaging the lower end of the knife, and having its lower end formed into a spring, the extremity of which is secured to the under side of thejcable, as set forth.

4. The combination of the reciprocating knife L and the moving guide or stop 1, against which the end of the picket is placed, said guide or stop having its lower end bent to form alea'f-spring Q, the extremity of which is secured to the table, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES BEAVER RICE.

\Vitnesses:

Gno. R. CALVERT,

'lnAnLns T. IIUPP. 

